Chapter 118
In addition to this, with them not having an embassy established on the Citadel, Axel had sent envoys to a few of the lower species on the Citadel, while also exploring the Galaxy to its fullest.
The Systems Alliance had reached out to him to learn more about the Ascendency and how there were other humans within the Galaxy. Axel didn't tell them the truth and simply told them that they should just consider themselves to be distant cousins of each other.
The Alliance didn't try to pry any further but remained skeptical. They also didn't take his warning about the council too seriously as they believed it to be better to join the galactic stage of the galaxy alongside all the other races.
Amidst the diplomatic tensions and strategic expansions, a deep sense of unease and anticipation settled over the galaxy. The Systems Alliance, keen to make their mark on the galactic stage, had swiftly begun to integrate themselves into Citadel society. Meanwhile, the Ascendency moved like a ghost in the darkness, quietly claiming uncharted territories and negotiating with the less influential species to build their own interstellar network.
6 months after the first contact war had ended, Axel and the Ascendency had learned a lot about the galaxy involving its species, history, factions among other things. The Ascendency's Capital world for this galaxy was called Nova, and it was located within the Attican Traverse, an area that the Citadel official claims as its own. But Axel didn't recognize their authority so their protests against his expansion fell on deaf ears.
They were worried about the Mass Effect Relays that he was activating to discover these systems. There was the potential that an incident similar to the Rachni wars might happen again upon aggressively reactivating relays.
However, what the council and other species didn't know as of yet was the fact that the Ascendency didn't need to use the relays to travel across the galaxy in a reasonable time. Instead of using the relays, the Ascendency had discovered a way to block the relay from being activated through their research of Element Zero.
Biotics had also become a major research project for the Ascendency. Biotics is the ability of some lifeforms to create mass effect fields using element zero nodules embedded in body tissues. Based off intelligence gathered from the monitoring the Asari and other council species, biotics would give individuals a form of telekinetic power to knock enemies over from a distance, lift them into the air, generate gravitational vortices to tear obstacles or enemies apart, or create protective barriers.
Similar to the abilities that the Forerunners used, biotics would prove to be another powerful ability that the Ascendency could use.
Next to the Attican Traverse, Axel had learned of the Terminus Systems, a region of the galaxy that is populated by a loose affiliation of minor species, united only in their refusal to acknowledge the political authority of the Council or adhere to the Citadel Conventions.
Axel had originally thought this region of the Galaxy to be a good place to start establishing even more relations with the locals. But upon learning that this region of space was fraught with conflict, Axel adopted a new strategy. War among the various species is common, as governments and dictators constantly rise and fall, and the region is a haven for illegal activities, particularly piracy and the slave trade.
The slave trade was something that Axel would not tolerate. The idea of slavery had long been abolished within human society and within the Ascendency.
As such, he made a diplomatic decision to stand against this heinous practice and take steps to eradicate it where possible.
The Ascendency issued a proclamation declaring the slave trade to be an illegal act of the highest order within their jurisdiction, and they would aid any species willing to fight against it. This move was met with mixed reactions across the galaxy. Some praised their moral standing, while others criticized them as being ignorant of the harsh realities of life in the Terminus Systems.
Still, Axel was firm in his resolution. His commitment found a surprising ally in one of the lesser-known species on the Citadel, the Elcor. Known for their slow, deliberate manner of speech and movement, the Elcor were peaceful by nature and deeply opposed to violence and exploitation. They expressed their gratitude towards Axel for taking a stance on such a crucial issue that many others chose to ignore.
This situation had developed into a major problem for the Batarians who had brought the situation up to the Citadel Council.
The Batarians, a species heavily involved in the slave trade, protested loudly at the Ascendency's proclamation. They vehemently defended their actions under the pretense of cultural differences and economic necessity. The Citadel Council was caught between a rock and a hard place. On one hand, they wanted to maintain peace among the different species. On the other hand, they were being asked to support an act that was universally considered reprehensible.
Despite their hesitations, the Council could not risk condoning slavery, as it would weaken their moral authority among other species. Therefore, they chose to remain neutral on the issue, supporting neither the Ascendency nor the Batarians' claim. This decision didn't sit well with the Batarians.
Feeling snubbed and cornered, the Batarians retaliated. They issued a thinly veiled threat to the Ascendency, warning them not to meddle in their affairs. It was a bold move, especially considering the Batarian's limited military power compared to the Ascendency. But desperate times called for desperate measures, and this was their way of showing defiance.
Axel had grown bored of sitting idly by while the Ascendency expanded into the nearby systems. He had capable subordinates who could handle everything on their own without his input, plus they could contact him at a moment's notice.
So, Axel himself had taken a fleet of 600 ships and an army of 1 million Imperial soldiers with him to begin his expansion into the Terminus systems. Above Nova, the space station was completed and was turned into the main hub for the Ascendency fleet.
On Nova a massive sensor array had been constructed which would allow them to map all systems within the galaxy which will speed up their exploration of systems and give them intel on every system, planet, and species within the Galaxy.
With the sensor array in place, the Ascendency's fleet was not only equipped for exploration, but also for surveillance and defense. The Ascendency was now the eye in the sky. No ship could move through space without their knowledge, no species could evolve without their watchful gaze, and no conflict could unfold without their notice.
The dimension slipspace gate only had 1 more month left before it would be complete. It would connect the two galaxies and allow Axel to bring more ships into this new galaxy. At the same time, it would open the door for people within Ascendency's home galaxy to travel into this new galaxy and begin colonizing unclaimed territories, meeting new species, and enjoying a brand-new adventure within this new galaxy.